


Food for Tongue and Thought

by Artan



Series: Fluency AU [2]
Category: Zootopia
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Food, Language, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-14
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-08-08 16:16:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7764580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artan/pseuds/Artan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Home cooking sounds so simple, until you try to take it across cultural lines.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Food for Tongue and Thought

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Fluent](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6896473) by [WildBurr](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WildBurr/pseuds/WildBurr). 



Judy’s inability to cook always amazed Nick.  Somehow, despite living on a farm with hundreds of siblings she had never learned to prepare a decent meal.  Sure, she could make the basics but anything beyond boiling pasta and adding the sauce was a struggle.  He, on the other paw, cooked like he had been born with a spoon in his paw.  In a sense, he almost had.  Although he hadn’t always had a kitchen, a camp stove and several battered pans in the back of Finnick’s van were a testament to his culinary ingenuity.  Which is precisely why he found himself in the kitchen of the apartment he shared with Judy once again.  This time however, he was preparing something special.

The usual array of salad greens had been replaced with spices and protein substitutes.  The large crockpot that would have held a hearty soup and provided leftovers was going unused.  Instead, there were skillets with spiced oils which filled the space with a new and exotic bouquet.  Peppercorns met with the dark smoky tones of paprika.  A small saucepan held a simmering mixture of vegetables and arthropods bringing to mind pieces of his childhood to Nick’s mind.  As much as he would have liked to delve into those simpler times, he had to remain focused; there was a schedule to keep.

It had felt like only seconds later when the apartment’s other occupant returned.  The lock on the door was lost amidst the sounds of cooking but she was easily able to make herself heard.  Judy was right behind him a moment later, leaning against him slightly, running her small paws and nails alongside his spine.  He shivered reflexively; she knew just what to do to him.  “So, what’s all this for?” She asked.  “It doesn’t smell like anything we have made before.”  “Home cooking.”  He responded, suppressing a slight smirk.  She pressed herself closer and asked another question.  “Who’s home?” “Mine.”  Judy raised her eyebrows and was about to inquire further when Nick turned and shooed her out of his workspace.  “There will be time for questions later.  Get ready, we are having Company.”  With that they each went about their separate tasks.

By the time Judy was out of the shower, Nick was already changing.  Gone was the simple t-shirt and jeans, in their place were a set of khaki slacks and a crisp white polo.  He dressed himself quickly and was back in the kitchen.  The pots and pans were something special to him.  They gave him a way to relax, especially from a busy day.  Besides, at the end of it he got a delicious meal to share with his mate.  Speaking of her, she had finally appeared.  She looked stunning, as always, with a dark, medium length dress.  Together, they finished getting the apartment in order, setting plates and silverware.  Amidst the rush of last minute preparations Nick had one last request.  “Judy, could you Mark me?”

Nick watched as Judy paused, nobody had ever asked her that before.  Then, she pulled out one of the chairs around the dining table and stood on top of it, beckoning Nick over.  Atop the chair, she stood slightly taller than her mate.  “We call this Chinning.” She said, before taking the fox’s head in her paws and rubbing her chin from his nose to forehead.  Nick breathed deeply through his nose before burying his snout into his mate’s shoulder, taking in every aspect of Judy.  He whispered to her, “We foxes are much like wolves in how important scent is.  Our Mate’s scent in particular holds a very special place in our hearts.  They become so many things to us, and your scent is second to none.”  Judy could feel Nick melt into her arms with each breath he took.  Before things could progress any further however, the buzzer rang.  Their guest had arrived.

There were certain customs associated with guests, ancient oaths of hospitality and hosting needed to be upheld.  Nick opened the door and the vixen outside swept all that away.  His mask broke “ **Hello Mom.** ”  They embraced after being separated for far too many years.  She always did smell of comfort and home to him.  She noticed something more personal.  “ **You smell like someone.  Have you...?** ” “ **Yes.** ”  They broke apart and he kept talking, a wide grin splitting his muzzle.  “ **She changed my life.  Saved it on several occasions too.** ” “ **You aren’t still on the streets, are you?** ” “ **I have a real job now.  I’m a cop, I protect mammals.** ”  He paused for a moment before continuing.  “ **Come in, you really should meet her.** ”

Judy was just inside the apartment, when she saw their guest.  Marie Anne Wilde seemed to light up as they made eye contact.  They embraced and Marie took a deep sniff, “ **It is good to finally meet you, Daughter.** ”  Judy’s ears dropped, along with the tension she had been carrying throughout the day.  “ **Same to you, Matron Wilde.** ”  The vixen raised her eyebrows, “I see my son taught you a few things; good to see he still remembers his manners.”  She smiled and continued.  “Still, I smell that my son has taken the time to prepare a traditional meal.  He always did take after his father in that regard.”  With that, the pair seated themselves at the dinner table.

The table had been set with numerous dishes and small bowls.  The dishes held the main courses, which ranged from fish to insects to even grilled vegetables.  The bowls contained a wide range of sauces, a lynchpin in Vulpine Cuisine.  The three each took things they enjoyed, Judy hadn’t expected the sheer variety of different ingredients.  Her plate was filled with the numerous vegetable dishes and she began by sampling some zucchini and squash.  They had been grilled out on the apartment’s balcony with some olive oil, salt, and pepper.  They were delicious, different from the style of vegetables she grew up with, savory and slightly toasty.  There were many other dishes she could have, each with their own set of spices or sauce.  The highlights however, seemed to be the protein dishes.

Judy excused herself for a moment to the restroom and took a Protaid then returned to the table.  She should have thought to take it beforehand, but Nick decided to be coy with what was for dinner.  Now that she had taken the enzyme supplement she could try some of the more exotic dishes.  Nick really had decided to go all out for this meal.  There were only a few protein dishes, but they had over half of the sauces.  While she avoided the fish out of habit, the crickets and tofu were excellent.  Especially so with a sweet and savory sauce that had both a slight tang and Nick raise his eyebrows.  As Judy sampled, Nick and his mother talked.  They spoke about what had happened in the years they had been apart.  Some parts of his past were artfully avoided, probably for the better.  The longer the two reconciled the more they lapsed into Vulpine.  By the time they were speaking about the Nighthowler Case, they had entirely foregone the common tongue.  When things were relevant Judy responded in Vulpine.  Marie Wilde paused for a moment, then spoke with a tinge of surprise “ **You learn quick!** ” “ **Not really,** ” Judy replied, “ **I just had a good teacher.** ”

Dessert was a simple affair.  There were several unadorned fruits and a honey-nut pastry.  “Where did you get this?” Judy knew Nick was a fine chef, but completely unable to bake.  “A certain pie baking fox made these for us.  Next time we are out in the Burrows we really should pick up some more.” “Really?  Gideon?  How come he never put any of these in the display case?” “Traditional Vulpine sweets in a town full of rabbits?  Don’t think that would go over too well, Fluff.”  Nick saw she wouldn’t change her opinion, but he knew she was bound to make this into a personal crusade if he pushed the issue.  He moved on to other small talk and nursed a traditional dinner tea.

It was late when Marie Ann Wilde finally left.  The sun had set hours ago and Nick and Judy were curled together on their small couch.  “I think tonight went well.”  Judy leaned into Nick as she spoke, prompting him to stroke her ears.  “The food was new and delicious, and those sauces were like nothing I have ever had at home.”  Nick smiled and chuckled at that.  “You know Carrots, that sauce you enjoyed so much?  We had an old name for it.” “What was it?” “Rabbit sauce.”  Judy stiffened in his arms.  “ _You had better have a good explanation for this one._ ” “ _I know what you are thinking, but stop thinking that.  This is a good thing, honestly._ ” “ _Go on…_ ” “ _Most of our condiments are named after things they remind us of, be that scent or taste.  Plum sauce tastes like plums and mouse sauce smells like mice.  Rabbit sauce is sort of like that._ ” “ _So I smell like something you want to eat?_ ” “ _No._ ”  He had to put that idea to rest as firmly as possible. “ _For us Canids, scent is our strongest trigger for memory.  Blueberries for instance always remind me of Mom, how she was there for me until I gave up on myself._ ” “ _And the sauce?_ ” “ _It reminds me of you.  Every single thing you have ever done for me or that we have done together is brought to mind when I smell it.  When I smell you however…_ ”  He took that opportunity to nibble her ear.  Judy squirmed and sighed in his arms as she asked another question.  “ _What about that little zip in the sauce?_ ” “ _I may have altered the recipe slightly._ ” “How so?” “ _Well, aside from the usual herbs, spices, and cricket stock I added some lemongrass and smoked paprika._ ” “ _So it smells more like me?_ ” “ _That is what happens when you tease the chef.  Or what we could be doing in a few minutes if we keep this up._ ”  Judy finally managed to flip herself around to face her amorous fox, and quickly chinned the tip of his nose.  “ _Who said we had to wait?_ ”

**Author's Note:**

> bold is Vulpine  
> Italics are Lapine
> 
> I thought of vulpine cuisine to be some sort of unholy fusion of Indian, Middle Eastern, and European styles. Full of bold colors, flavors, and scents. Food is typically served with the sauces on a lazy susan so all the participants in the meal can take the ones they want. Lapine wasn't something I put too much thought into, but it seemed to be a more hearty affair, with numerous salads and root vegetables. Perhaps something more like traditional Irish fare, just without the meat. I may have also given the foxes baklava, I am not sorry about this.


End file.
